Generally speaking, I've grown tired of undead films. While classics like 28 Days Later and the early seasons of The Walking Dead were enjoyable, the genre feels mostly exhausted nowadays. Yet the much-awaited 28 Years Later has been gathering dust on my to-watch queue for months. But, the platform's new Southeast Asian horror film, The Elixir, succeeded in subvert my expectations and proved quite entertaining.
Impressive Rhythm and Character Growth
One of this movie's strongest assets is its excellent pacing. It kicks off using a memorable initial scene where a calm family party is violently interrupted by a van crashes right into the seating section. From the wreckage, a very undead-looking stranger stumbles out and begins assaulting the attendees. This dramatic moment is then succeeded by a flashback, giving viewers to see the family prior to the disaster struck.
Unlike many zombie films, The Elixir truly allows the audience enough time to get to know the primary personalities before the carnage begins. We meet Nes, a married mother with a former best friend, Karina, is now married to her dad—an obviously awkward dynamic. Naturally, this has understandably caused a rift among the two women. We also see her sibling, Bang, who is kind-hearted but a bit inept socially, and who loves playing video games alongside his nephew, Raihan. Nes' husband, Rudi, appears to have lately been unfaithful to her. The family head is Nes' father, who runs a well-known natural medicine company called Wani Waras, and he appears to care about only two things: his business and his wife to Nes' former best friend. Unsurprisingly, this gathering is extremely tense.
Invested in the Conflict
I became so invested with this family's dynamics and their personal conflicts that I almost overlooked I was watching a horror film—something that could sound like a drawback, but ultimately paid off. The Elixir dedicates a considerable amount of its runtime to showing viewers who each family member is, and how they add to the overall dysfunction. This emphasis on conflicting traits allowed me to relate to the personalities enough to care about their outcome—a rare accomplishment in a genre that often introduces individuals just to kill them off soon after. The Elixir avoids portraying its cast as flat, expendable casualties for a horde of zombies to devour, so it's a real shock once events finally deteriorate.
Reminiscent of Parasite
The initial sequences from the gathering and various household exchanges in fact evoke the movie Parasite, a story that masquerades as a K-Drama featuring slightly dark comedy before taking a sudden shift toward "holy shit" territory. These early scenes don't focus as much on humor as Parasite, but The Elixir nonetheless provides enough time to settle into its world prior to it gets upended.
Original Zombification Origin
This movie additionally presents a quite intriguing reason regarding the origin of the contagious zombification. Rather than an accidental lab leak or some sort of bioweapon, the source of this infectious condition originates in a new sample from Wani Waras herbal remedies developed by Nes' father. Although we do learn a bit about how it started, it would have been better if the movie had spent additional focus explaining how Wani Waras transitioned from a reputable purveyor of holistic medicine to producing a lethal potion which seems to contain a highly contagious pathogen. Despite the limited context, the impact this affliction has on people is absolutely repulsive, and I love it. The Elixir's undead are fast, freaky-looking, and, perhaps worst of all, constantly grinning. This is a daring decision, but it succeeds. The Elixir's physical effects and computer graphics also appear quite realistic, and are almost certain to provoke a fear of holes.
Capable Personalities
More impressive than the gross-out scenes are the characters themselves. Of course, there are a few instances of dubious choices (like any any good zombie movie), but for the most part, Nes and her family show themselves inventive and sharp. Additionally, they aren't afraid to kick a zombie in the head, stab it with a pitchfork, or hit it on the skull with the nearest blunt instrument they find instead of standing still like prey in headlights as death approaches.
Realistic Familial Discord
The Elixir doesn't abandon its focus of familial discord once individuals start turning into zombies, this proved a pleasantly realistic deviation from the "We don't get along|"We have issues, but since you nearly died so I instantly forgive you for everything! trope often seen in apocalyptic movies. Obviously, Nes loves her family and values her husband, Rudi, yet it's equally clear she remains holding onto resentment regarding his infidelity of their marriage vows. When the family gets separated, they agree over the phone to regroup at a close location. However, once Bang admits he is unaware the way to the location, Nes unleashes an immense level of irritation on her brother which has obviously been brewing for years. Nes is not flawless, and her relatives—flawed as it is—feel authentic and relatable because the film doesn't try to push the notion that nearly dying immediately resolves family tensions. This causes the moments when these characters do show gratitude for each other seem far more genuine.
Stereotypical Ending
In spite of The Elixir's strong efforts to innovate, the conclusion is admittedly somewhat formulaic. The Elixir doesn't truly offering up any deep insight about family or community, either. Instead, it's mostly serving up scares. But they're successful frights, and because the movie gives each character sufficient space to grow and avoids penalizing them for their imperfections, the result proves a captivating and enjoyable
